Tongs



INVENTOBV E. C. LADETWQEU TONGS July 24, 1953 Flled Nov 8, 1948 PatentedJuly 24, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TONGS Ervin C. Ladewski, LaPortc, Ind. Application November 8, 1948, Serial No. 58,985

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a device in the nature of a tongs, havinggripping jaws adapted to grasp and support an article.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of thecharacter described that will be novelly designed in a manner to griparticles tightly, so that said articles can be transported, or otherwisehandled with considerable facility.

Another important object is to provide a device of the characterdescribed which will be of rugged construction, relatively lightconsidering the weight of the articles which it is adapted to support,and capable of simple and speedy operation.

Another important object is to provide a device of the characterdescribed in which the jaws can be locked in open position duringmaneuvering of the device for the purpose of grasping an article, andwherein, on release of the jaws for the purpose of gripping saidarticle, said jaws will automatically engage the article tightly.

Another important object is to provide a device of the character statedadapted for one hand manipulation, so that the user may have his otherhand free for supporting himself, manipulating the article to begrasped, or for other purposes.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details ofconstruction and combinations of parts, hereinafter more fully describedand pointed out in the claim, it being understood that changes may bemade in the construction and arrangement of parts without departing fromthe spirit of the invention as claimed.

Referring to the drawings Figure l is an elevational view of a tongsconstructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a view taken from the right of Fig. 1, the dotted linesindicating a second position of the movable jaw.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partly in elevation and partlyin longitudinal section, through the upper end of the device.

Figure 4 is an enlarged section taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig.1.

Figure 5 is a section taken substantially on line 55 of Fig. 3.

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, In is an outer tubular member whichcan be of any length desired, said member being formed at its lower endwith external threads II, and being rigid at its other end with thehandle I2.

Telescoped in the outer tubular member In is the inner tubular memberI3, having at one end the handle I4. As readily seen from Fig. 1,handles I2 and I4 are so formed, and disposed at a predetermineddistance apart, as to permit their being readily grasped in onehand, andbrought together by a squeezing action.

By squeezing the handles I2 and I4, the inner member is telescoped inthe outer member, from its normally withdrawn position. During relativemovement of the members, it is desirable that guide means be providedadapted to prevent relative rotation therebetween, and to this end, Iprovide a cross pin I5 extending across the members, said'pin I5 beinganchored in the wall of the outer tubular member ID, and passing throughdiametrically opposed longitudinal slots I6 and I7 formed in the innertubular member. Slots I6 and I1 are bayonet slots, having at their upperends the oppositely directed slot extensions I8, I9.

By reason of this construction, it can be seen that during relativemovement of the members longitudinally of each other, the pin I5provides a guide preventing relative rotation, and additionally, saidpin engaging opposite ends of the slots I6 and IT, constitutes a stoplimiting longitudinal movement in opposite directions. Additionally,when pin I5 is at the upper end of slots I6 and I1, that is, when thehandles I2 and I4 have been fully brought into substantial engagementwith each other, by rotating handle I4, or for that matter either handlerelative to the other, through a small part of a single rotation, thecross pin I5 moves into the oppositely directed slot extensions I 8 andI9, and accordingly the handles can be released and will be lockedagainst relative longitudinal movement while the pin is engaged in saidslot extensions.

At its inner end, the inner tubular member I3 is reduced as at 20, toprovide clearance at diametrically opposed sides of the inner tubularmember for the ends of a cross plate 2|, that extends through thediametrically opposed longitudinal slots 22 formed in said reducedextension 20.

Said plate 2| extends through eye on the inner end of an elongatedconnecting rod 24. Said connecting rod 24 is thus secured to the innertubular member I3 in a manner to prevent a certain amount of loosenessin the connection to permit some lateral movement of the connecting rodrelative to the member I3.

The inner member I3 is normally held retracted or withdrawn relative tothe outer tubular member, in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3inclusive and I provide for this by providing a ring 23 formed 7 orflange'ZS' engaging the inner end of the tubular member l3, said ringengaging one end of a coil spring 26 that enages at its other end thering 21 seated on the annular shoulder 28 formed in the outer tubularmember ID. As a result, said spring, tending to expand, will normallyretain the members in the position illustrated. However, against theaction of the spring, the handles l2 and M can be squeezed orcompressed, so as to telescope member l3 within the outer member. Whenthe member l3 has been telescoped against the spring action to its fulllimit as determined by the length of the slots l6 and H, partialrotation of the inner tubular member |3 as described hereinbefore"causes pin to move into the slot extensions.

l8 and I9, so as to hold the members telescoped against the springaction. Referring now to Fig. sleeve 29 is threaded upon the lower endof the outer tubular member l9, and the connection is secured by meansof a screw 30. Welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the sleeve 29 isthe center portion of the cross member or plate 3|, that is U-shaped incross section, and which at one end straddles the inner end or tongue32' ofa fixed jaw generally designated 33, that extends 0bliquely fromits fixed connection to the end of the cross member 3|, terminating atitsfree end substantially in line with the longitudinal axes of thetubular handle members. Straddling said plate and tongue is thebifurcated end 34 of a reinforcing member 35, and rivets 33 or similarsecuring means hold said reinforcing member, plate, and jaw rigidlyassembled.

' Formed on the lower end of the connecting rod 24 is an eye 31 havingrelatively loose engagement with the hook 38 formed on the inner end ofthe movable jaw generally designated39. Said movable jaw 39 isapproximately L-shaped, and is fulcrumed intermediate its ends on apivot4, aninternally threaded V;

bolt 4!] extendingtransversely of the other end 1 of the plate 3|. Sofar as its gripping endis' concerned, the jaw 39 is formed like the jawand also like the jaw 33, is extended downwardly from an end of theplate 3| obliquely relative to the tubular handle members. The free endof the jaw 39 terminates in line with the longitudinal axes of thehandle. membersyin engagement with the free end of the jaw 33. Thegripping portions of the jaws thus are of like appearance and are insymmetrically balanced opposition. '1

Referring now to the particular construction illustrated for each of thejaws, the fixed jaw, 33 can be integrally stamped or otherwise formed Hfrom a sheet of material to provide an outer 1on g'itudina'lly extendedreinforcing rib 4|, that merges into the shovel-like jaw member 42;, theperipheral edge of which is inturned and'formed with teeth 43. v,

Referring to the jaw 39, this also is formed from a sheet of material toprovide the fiat shovellike jaw member 44, formed integraLwith thereinforcing rib 45, the peripheral edge of said, jaw member 44 beinginturned as best shownin Fig. 6, and formed with teeth 46.

Additionally, the device is adapted for the removal of articles fromnarrow or otherwise confined locations, can be used for the feeding ofcaged animals, the removal of clinkers from furnaces, and the handlingof other articles. In this connection, it has been found in actual usethat by the correct operation of the tool, weights of as much astwo-hundred pounds or more can be gripped and carried therewith.

In operation, the user squeezes. handles l2 and M, and this has theeffect of swinging movable jaw/39 to the dotted line positionillustrated in Fig. 2. When the jaw has been swung outwardly in thismanner, it can be retained in its outwardly swung position by entry ofthe cross pin l5 into the lateral slot extensions I8 and I9. Then, when'it is desired to seize the article, the handle I4 is retracted more orless slowly, under the control of the operator, so that the jaws engagethe "art icl'e to be gripped. By reason of the inclination of the teeth,retrograde movement of said article, out of engagement with the jaws, iseffectively prevented.

What is claimed is.

A device of the class described including an elongated outer tubularmember; an elongated inner tubular member slidable within the outermember; handles on the inner and outer members adapted tobe squeezed fortelescoping of said inner member in the outer member; yielding meansengaging the inner member and adapted to hold the handles normallyspread apart; a plate fixedly secured ai'xits center to the outer memberand disposed directly crosswise of said members, the ends of said plateprojecting laterally in opposite directions from said members; a jawfixedly connected .at one end to one end, of the plate, said jaw beingof shovel-like formation with serrated side edges and being extendedobliquely"relatively to the tubular members from its connection to theplate and terminating substantially in line with the longitudinal axesof said tubular members; an L-shaped jaw fulcrumed intermediate its endsupon. the other end. of said plate, oneend of. said L-shaped jawdirectly underlying the center of the plate; a connectingrod extendingbetween said end of the L -shaped'jaw and the inner member for. movementof the L-shaped jaw responsive to telescoping of theinner member; meansinter-engaging between the members in one position of the The use of theinvention may now b e noted.

removal, and to prevent breakage of said bulbs. V

members and adapted to retain the jaws in spread apart relation; andstop means. limiting movement in opposite directions of the. innermember.

relative to the outer member, said L-shaped jaw having a grippingportion shaped like and in symmetrical balance with the fixed jaw andterminating at its free end in engagement with the free end of the fixedjaw. a

ERVIN C. LADEWSKI.

REFERENCES CITED The following references: are of record in the f le-ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Branden Apr. 18, 1944

